I would love to hear opinions on this as well. Especially from people who don't normally speak on Stealth. I know Tom_nice is a big proponent of Stealth, and would I like to find out if others feel the same way. What are your impressions on Stealth and Mapleshade? So far, I have heard nothing negative regarding either(but they are only in use by a relatively small number of people). I do wonder when I see some Stealth products on auction why the reserve is not low(sometimes there is no reserve - in case anyone wants to suggest I don't have my facts straight). I once bid on an 8 foot pair of their copper speaker cables. I went to $200. The auction went higher, but still did not meet the reserve. Is there a reason that the reserve was this high? To get interest in cable, there has to be demand. That demand cannot be created without a fair number of people getting the word out(in my opinion). While I would have liked to give them a shot, I will not pay more than what a pair of AudioQuest Midnights go for, without being sure the cable is superior. Silver Audio also uses thin gauge conductors, and is an awfully difficult product to fault on ANY level. I have heard the Hyacinth, and would definitely not be disappointed if I used them in my system indefinitely. And, the new HomeGrown Audio Silver Lace features thinner gauge wire(so maybe now others can join us in waxing enthusiastic). Have to say it is the best cable I have had in my system. |
Hi Tom: I have a Mapleshade digital cable on order. I will not be able to form an opinion on it for quite some time as their are too many items that have changed in my system lately (new speakers plus added a DAC). Since the new DAC is why I purchased the new cable, I will be experiencing both units for the first time. When the system settles down I will then audition other digital cables from The Cable Co. and be able to get a grip on what the DAC and cables are doing for each other. I think that a plus of the "light" design will be that it will interfere less with the isolation devices that I use on my CD player and the ones that I will try out on my new DAC. I cannot use the Mapleshade speaker cables because the length of my runs are too long otherwise I would have liked to try them as well. I too wish that there were more write ups on these products and I am trying the cable out of curiosity. Pierre at Mapleshade also seems to be a great guy when I talk to him regarding other system matters. I think that the cable is called The Double Helix and was around $120.00 for a one meter cable -w- RCA's. There is more info at AA Cable Asylum, but I am not as familiar with the reviewers or their system/preference history as I am the members at this site . By this I just mean that if you notice that a poster tends to like/dislike and describe some gear that you feel the same way about it gives you a better reference to go on. |
Tom; I have the Mapleshades double golden helix speaker cable & I really like it. I have updated & mod. Magnepan Tympani 1-Ds speakers,when I first saw the cables I thought no way these small wires are going to push these big old maggies. I think these are one of the best buys in audio cables.Pierre also made me some jumpers for my maggies x-over & I can tell you they made big improvement. My next IC will be the double helix. Gess you can tell I like the Mapleshade products. Good luck in your cable search. |
I previously try the Stealth silver one meter interconnect in the past. I do not feel happy with this product. Overall system balance was shifted for worse. Bass is okey. I do prefer the use of other companys interconnect. |
Is there no one else who uses Stealth cable? I guess opinion is split. Some think it's great, some don't. Tom_nice, is there any other brand of cable that you recommend? I am not all knowing when it comes to cable, but I do know that there is no manufacturer that is the best for every system. What type of system is the Stealth best for, and what type will it not be so good in? Masushi614, what cables do you prefer over Stealth? |
Hello all, I have had both the top of the line Mapleshade Omega Micro Wave treated speaker cables and Omega Micro interconnects and loved them until I received my Stealth gold interconnects and Stealth Ultimate Ribbon speakers cables and I have to say that the Stealth cables sounded better in my system, so natural and more inner details brought out with the Stealth. With the right components the Stealth cables are amazing especially the gold interconnects. I got lucky and won them on the auction for about $450.00. Hey look at it this way try both since they come with in home trials and see which sounds best in your system. They both are excellent cables! Mike S. |
I tried several Stealth cables, and will offer my observations here, if Tom and Mroadster promise not to rebut them in this thread. Let me know if you want to hear my thoughts. |
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Come on Carl. Where is your sense of adventure? Let's hear about the Stealth cables, pretty please. LOL. |
You know who you can ask about my sense of adventure.... |
karl: you sure do have thin skin for someone who sends me private email saying, "...you are definitely an angry drunk." and that was after you'd told me to "kiss [your] ass." what i've said is, i believe, borne out by numerous postings you've made evincing ignorance of products you say you've tried, coupled by your refusal to indicate where and when you got them to audition. your calling me a "drunk," on the other hand, is false, defamatory and based on no evidence whatsoever. it is, in short, simply schoolyard-like name calling. that name calling, tho, is nearly as outrageous as that displayed by david99 in his posts on this thread directed to jim. |
I have no ignorance of any product that I have tried. You are implying that I am somehow ignorant of something. What is this, specifically? You are also implying that I'm a liar, and I could imply the same of you. You also offer not proof that you aren't an angry drunk...but then it's difficult to "prove a negative", I suppose. |
Carl_eber, Cornfedboy may be reluctant to call you a liar but I'm not. I've been reading your stuff for quite a while. Cornfed is right. You do "fake" a lot of your "auditions," and then repeat stuff other reviewers write. I bet other visitors here have also seen this. Kendall |
Is this still another thread that will turn into a number of accusatory issues???? Keep the personal attacks to yourself and let people write (or say) what they may. If anyone here is prone to run out and get something as a result of someone's embelished reviews be they negative or positive then they still have a lot to learn about sytem synergies. I for one would like to hear anyones comments on a particular cable or component but do not base my decision making process solely on it. It is one factor of many I use.So Carl, in the end what are your observations on this comparison???? |
Kendall is personally attacking me, he needs to stop making a fool of himself....In a condensed version of my thoughts: I didn't like any of the 3 Stealth cables I tried this past summer, enough to KEEP them, but the UR speaker cable seemed like the best performance/value of the three (a tad awkward to use, but still a breeze when compared to stiff/heavy cables). I did my best to burn in the interconnects, but I only got around 350 hours on each of them, and I suppose it isn't impossible that their brightness and electronic-ness would have gone away to an adequate degree, had I used them for 1500 hours or more, and had they been burned in by a high current ic burn in device (i.e., a power amplifier). The UR speaker cable had about the most airy treble of any silver speaker cable I've tried (moreso than my short run of AT Dragon, and moreso than the Silversmith I tried). It wasn't on par with either in all respects, but the treble alone was interesting, in a similar way that the Magnan Signature power cord's treble was interesting, and likely as unique.............................I still want to try these "bargain" Mapleshade interconnects, and am trying Discovery Essence/Essential right now. So far I think the Essence RCA interconnect may be the best of all the ones I've tried in the past 6 months. I hardly ever see any on the used market, but then Discovery doesn't do the bulk sales that other cable companies do. The two Stealth ic's I tried, were the M7 and the Silver Ribbon (both priced around $200/meter pair). I liked the M7 slightly better; it had Cardas silver RCA's, and that might have been a big factor there (the other had WBT). I will say that build quality/finish was quite nice with the Stealth cables, and their designer is a personable and opinionated individual who deserves respect for his earnest forthrightness and total lack of bs. He seems to be a very straight shooter indeed. If I HAD to buy an affordable silver interconnect right now, it would be the Homegrown one that Dekay has let me borrow. It is very neutral, there is no doubt about that at all. And it's only $70, I believe. If it had Cardas silver RCA's, who knows how good it might be? |
Thanks for the info Carl, and now there is the new Homegrown Silver Lace IC at approx. $190.00. I wanted to order the Mapleshade IC's with their digital cable but need to upgrade the PC on the new DAC more and could not swing both. I just got a nice upgrade from the power company, a new transformer that feeds our apartment building. I wonder how long they take to burn in? LOL. |
OK: I received the Mapleshade Double Helix digital cable yesterday and have been running it for 24 hours (with very little sleep:-) - First impressions are that of jaw dropping musicality combined with fine detail. If you have not viewed the micro cables in person they are scary at first sight. The conductors are smaller than horse hair and are enclosed in a clear material thet looks like it is made out of sandwich bags (cheap thin, one use ones). The casing is not round but is flat and looks like you flattened out the packaging from a Slim Jim. I had to construct a protective shield for the cable out of a cardboard TP roll due to the fact that we have a thermostat switch in close proximety to the back of my player where the cable attaches. It is very fragile. That said they sound super off the bat and time and further comparisons (to other cables) will tell how they stack up. I am using them from a CAL Icon II to a Bell Canto DAC 1 (new in my system), the analog IC's are Homegrown Super Silver and the speakers are Reynaud Twins (also new, but broken in). Sorry, I can't say much more about the cable as I need to get aquainted with all the new gear. I also tried the new rig with my old (and familiar) Castle speakers with great results, but the new DAC makes is difficult to get a grip on how much the cable is contributing. However, I can safely say that it makes mincemeat out of the borrowed Canare digital cable that it replaced and makes me ROFL in regard to the all digital cables sound the same thread that is still active. |
Dekay! All right, man! I'm glad you like those Mapleshade ic's. The speaker wires should be worth a listen, huh? And a DAC1 one too? Man, I like you more and more all the time. [:)] Seriously, folks. For you big ticket guys, maybe you could keep these little gems in mind for your "bedroom" systems. Money-back 30-day guarantee! Charlie |
Danvetc: I apoligize for allowing passion into my post. It's funny in that when I hear something being touted as being musical (such as the Mapleshades) I always fear that the product will not be detailed enough, which is not the case with this cable as it has both qualities in my system. I will have to switch the silver analog IC's out with my HT Truthlinks to see how much the level of detail drops. That is as soon as I am over the shock of truely liking something for a change. I cannot use their speaker cable because my runs are too long to get the most out of them, but would like to try the analog IC's when mo money is available (they are twice the price at $240.00). I just made another barrier this afternnon in between the top of my cabinet and the wall to block access from cat paws and claws that could destroy the cable with one fell swoop (or swipe). There was also a less expensive version of the digital cable (just called Ultrathin) that was $32.50) that might do well for the powder room or the maids quarters. I have also not noticed much burn in on this cable (not anything like the silver IC's that were a horror to behold for the first 100 hours or so) if anything the LF has become a little less prominent and more integrated since they first went on. |
Dekay, apologize for passion? I thought that's what made us tick! I had posted in another thread similar experience with the Mapleshade speaker wire. Even without burn-in (that's another thread) it replaced some fine XLO speaker wire costing 3-4X the price of the Mapleshade. I think if I look hard enough there is a small scar where my jaw met the floor. I'll have to play with the Mapleshade ic's very soon. Enjoy! Charlie |
Danvetc: Ah yes, it's all coming back to me, your post sparked my interest in these still mysterious Mapleshade cables. In regard to break in, the cables are directional and are marked (though cryptically if you do not read the instructions). Pierre at Mapleshade mentioned that the cable had to be "treated" when we were discussing the time frame as it was not ready off the shelf. I wonder what the treatment was? There is nothing in the brochure in regard to this that I can see. I am not complaining mind you, if they want to improve over the course of the next 200 hours or so, I can handle it at this point. LOL. |
Hello, I have the double helix speaker and innerconnects. I am thoroughly pleased. The innerconnects are a bit of a pain to set up properly. They need to be separated and off the floor. The speaker cable is also a pain for the same reason. I found dealing with Pierre a pleasure. All his suggestions proved to be positive in my system. |
